New Houston accelerator program selects first startups

1of3MyLAB Box sells
at-home health testing kits and a sub-scription service that offers testing for a monthly fee.Photo: myLab Box

2of3Ursula Hessenflow is co-founder, CEO, of Los Angeles-based myLAB, one of the first companies to join the business accelerator program, NextHIT. of Houston Health Ventures, a new, early-stage venture capital company focused on development of medical device, diagnostics and health information technology companies. MyLAB Box sells at-home health testing kits, such as those for sexually transmitted diseases. The company offers individual kits, as well as a "Safe Box" subscription, which provides continual testing every six months for a monthly fee.

Houston Health Ventures, a new, early-stage venture capital company focused on development of medical device, diagnostics and health information technology companies, has begun working with the first companies to join its business accelerator program, NextHIT.

Each of the three companies selected for the program receive $30,000 equity investment, as well as $24,000 worth of services and office space at University of Houston. NextHIT companies also receive eight weeks of curriculum and access to mentors to help them achieve goals.

"We are taking the first steps for our fund as well as making our contribution to Houston's budding medical startup ecosystem," said David Franklin, a Houston Health Ventures co-founder and managing director.

Houston Health Ventures began taking applications for its NextHIT program earlier this year. Businesses selected for the program include Houston-based Hippo Kitchen, which designs, prepares and delivers meals tailored to cancer patient's dietary needs. Meals prepared by the company, launched in 2013, also are available in vending refrigerators in the Texas Medical Center.

"As a classically trained chef with a focus on health-supportive food, and a native Houstonian, I saw that Houston has a large community of cancer patients with unique dietary challenges," owner Angela Anderson said in a written statement. "After being hired to cook privately for multiple cancer patients and survivors, the Hippo Kitchen was a way for me to make these cancer conscious meals accessible and affordable."

MyLAB Box, a Los Angeles-based company selected for the NextHIT program, sells at-home health testing kits, such as those for sexually transmitted diseases. The company offers individual kits, as well as a "Safe Box" subscription, which provides continual testing every six months for a monthly fee.

"MyLAB Box lets individuals take charge of their health, making testing easy and automated," said co-founder Ursula Hessenflow in a written statement.

The third company selected for NextHIT, the name and details of which have not been revealed, is developing a long-term wearable device for brain activity monitoring.

"It's great to see the health care startup space in Houston really start to grow," said Huan Le, a Houston Health Ventures co-founder and managing director, in a written statement. "These companies are great examples of potentially transformative businesses that can help millions of people."